


Connor's Past

by Lucy410



Series: Primeval [6]
Category: Primeval
Genre: Angst, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-01
Updated: 2014-08-01
Packaged: 2018-02-11 07:56:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2060172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucy410/pseuds/Lucy410
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Connor's past comes back to haunt him, Becker helps</p>
            </blockquote>





	Connor's Past

As usual Becker woke up exactly two minutes before his alarm was due to go off. It was a habit that had started while at Sandhurst and it had stuck, even after the months of combat where he had usually been woken by gunfire, his first night back in England he’d set his alarm clock only to find himself waking up before it went off. Becker folded his arms underneath his head and contemplated the ceiling, cracks and all. A patch of weak sunlight was very slowly blooming out across the white expanse and Becker remembered with a frown that he’d been too tired last night to close his curtains. He’d managed to briefly yank them together before he’d fallen into bed. Funny how tiring chasing a herd of triceratops could be. That of course brought him round to Connor, not that his mind needed any excuse for thinking about the man, it was not thinking about him that was often the problem.  
________________________________  
{Flashback}

“What are you staring at?” Becker had walked into his bedroom to find Connor standing transfixed in the centre of the room.

“Curtains.” Connor gestured at the window and the pieces of material that hung on either side. “You’ve got curtains.”

“Lots of people have curtains Connor.” Becker’s tone had been a little harsher than he’d intended.

“But you?” Connor shrugged. “I guess I always imagined you as more of a blinds man.”

{End flashback}  
_____________________________________________________

“I want him here,” Becker told the ceiling. “Not just for a night but for always.” Then he huffed out a sigh of frustration and flipped over onto his stomach just as his alarm kicked in. “Not today,” he muttered, cutting the sound off before it could really register. Things with Connor weren’t straightforward and Becker was afraid that if he asked Connor to move in with him the man would run a mile. Nervous and diffident the few times that he had brought Connor back to his flat, Becker had been very careful to take things slowly. But there was slow and there was not moving and Becker scowled. Maybe it was time to push a little harder with Connor, see what sort of response he’d get. Satisfied at his plan of action however imprecise Becker climbed out of bed and headed for the shower.  
______________________________________________

Connor hadn’t managed a shower this morning. Abby had used all the hot water last night for her bath washing off, so she claimed, the triceratops dung even though he’d pointed out to her that she’d cleaned up at the ARC but Abby had said that she could still smell it and then the boiler had decided to pack up. Surreptitiously, despite the fact that Abby had already left, Connor sniffed himself and hastily stuffed some clean clothes into a backpack, he would just have to have a shower at the ARC instead. There was a pile of post lying next to the front door, Abby had obviously shoved it out of her way there and idly Connor leafed through it. Mainly junk mail he decided until he got to the envelope at the bottom of the pile.

His hand shook as he opened the envelope and pulled out the piece of creamy card that it contained. He already knew what it said; the name of his old school emblazoned along the top of the envelope had kind of given it away. Strange that a piece of mail could make him shake and sweat as though he were suffering from flu. But really it wasn’t strange at all for anyone who knew what Connor had suffered at that school and the only person who did know was Connor. He’d put it firmly behind him when he’d started at university. He’d found it liberating to be in an atmosphere where everyone was as eager to learn as he was and where he found he was actually being stretched mentally for the first time in his life. He wasn’t going to let his past ruin any of it.

A reunion. Connor found himself staring spellbound at the raised gold lettering and then he shook his head; there was no way he was going. Turning to take the invitation into the kitchen where he could get rid of it, Connor noticed the clock.

“Shit!” He was going to be late again and he quickly shoved the card and envelope deep into a pocket before crashing out of the door as though a herd of velociraptors were on his tail.

________________________________________________  
“No sign of Connor?” Danny had queried once Becker had got to the ARC. “Lester’s on the warpath.”

“I am not on the warpath as you so poetically put it,” Lester stated firmly, walking up behind Danny and making the man jump. “I merely said that it would be nice if certain employees could actually make it to work on time for once.”

“I’m sure Connor was trying to be on time.” Becker defended the absent young man.

“I’m sure he tries every day,” Lester said dryly, “he just never manages it. I’m thinking about setting off the anomaly alarm to see if that makes him move any faster. Danny a word in my office please.” Lester walked away without looking back and Danny, after shrugging apologetically, hurried after him.

Frowning Becker turned himself towards the armoury, resolving to keep an eye out for Connor and to keep him away from Lester whenever possible.  
___________________________________________________________________

When Connor finally arrived at the ARC, he was relieved to find that Lester wasn’t anywhere to be seen and he took himself off to find an empty lab where he might find a bit of peace to do some thinking. Coffee, that was what he needed. Connor put a hand in his pocket, hoping he might find a few coins in there but instead he found the invitation he had meant to throw away. He smoothed it out on the desk and studied it for a moment, trying to convince himself that there had in fact been some good things about his schooldays.

“A reunion.” Becker’s voice chimed out behind him and instantly Connor balled the card and pushed it back into his pocket. “We’re going to go?”

Connor looked up at his lover and wondered briefly how to explain why he didn’t want to go and why turning up with a man at his side wouldn’t be a good idea but instead he just nodded.

“Great. I’ll finally get to meet some people who can tell me embarrassing stories about you.” Becker was grinning and he held a cup of coffee out towards Connor, who took it gratefully.

“I thought Abby had that covered all by herself.” Connor sipped at the coffee and closed his eyes. “Oh this is so good.”

Becker leaned forward to kiss Connor before leaving and left the young man with tendrils of fear curling in his stomach as he remembered what he had just agreed to.  
______________________________________________

Becker knew there was something wrong. When he’d asked Connor if they would be attending the reunion he’d seen a flicker of fear in the young man’s eyes. Lots of people he was aware often disliked thinking about their school days but Connor was the first person he’d met who actually seemed afraid of them. Determined to find out why, Becker had hidden himself away in a lab and was searching all the newspaper records he could get hold of, looking for any information that might tie into Connor. Ten minutes later he’d admitted to himself that while he might be able to hit a moving target with his eyes closed, doing internet research was not his thing and he went looking for Jenny with a hopeful smile on his face.

Two hours later she’d tracked him down merely to hand him a single sheet of paper. “This is all I could find.” 

“But it doesn’t mention Connor.” Becker looked up confused. “How do you know?”

“Trust me,” Jenny smiled before turning to leave. 

Once she had gone Becker again studied the piece of paper in his hand. It was a short newspaper report about an incident that had taken place at Connor’s school and had led to several boys being expelled. There were no names and no mention of what exactly the incident had involved. Becker grunted with frustration and balled the paper up. Time to talk to Connor.

_____________________

“I spoke to my parents,” Connor barely glanced up at Becker when the soldier entered his lab. “They’re looking forward to meeting you.”

“So we’re going to go to this reunion then?”

“Why not,” Connor shrugged. Maybe Becker was right and there was actually nothing to worry about. “I’m actually looking forward to it.”  
_____________________________________________  
The drive to Bradford had been uneventful. Connor and Becker had shared driving duties and Connor was now steering the car towards his parents’ home. One thing that he was grateful for was that his nervousness about introducing Becker to his mum and dad had completely eclipsed his nervousness about the school reunion later that evening.

“Connor. Oh it’s good to see you.” His mother came running out of the house the moment that Connor stopped the car and enveloped her son in a bear hug.

“It’s good to see you too.” Connor pecked her cheek, flushing slightly as Becker climbed from the car with a grin plastered across his face.

“You must be Captain Becker.”

“Just Becker thanks Mrs Temple.”

“Joan please. Come on in both of you, you must be parched.”

Connor’s father was sitting in a surprisingly uncluttered sitting room and he stood as Connor and Becker entered the room, holding out his hand to the soldier and then pulling his son into an awkward hug. “Your mother’s missed you.”

“I missed her too Dad.”

“Now Connor, if you could just come into the kitchen and help me with the cake.”

Once the mother and son had vanished Becker found himself being appraised by his lover’s father.

“You look like a soldier.” Mr Temple shook his head and laughed at himself. “I mean I knew you were a soldier but I never thought you’d look so much like one. Do you love him?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Connor. Do you love him?” Mr Temple smiled at the confused man.

“Yes I do.”

“Have you told him?”

Becker stopped to consider the question. He hadn’t expected to be having a conversation quite like this so soon after meeting Connor’s parents. He wasn’t aware that Connor had even revealed the fact that they were dating. “No,” he finally responded.

“Then tell him, the sooner the better.” Connor’s father was smiling. “From the very little that Connor has told us it sounds like he’s in a dangerous job and to need someone like you with him, well I suspect it’s the sort of job where you might not expect to always make it home in one piece.”

Becker nodded, remembering all too well Connor’s recent brush with death thanks to a ring that Helen had sent through an anomaly.

“I will sir.”

“Good.” Connor’s father seemed satisfied by that and he turned to look at his returned wife with a smile. “You see,” he crowed, “I told you that Abby wasn’t our boy’s type.”  
______________________________________________________________  
Despite the pleasant afternoon spent with his parents and his relief that they had accepted Becker so easily Connor now found that a knot of fear had taken up residence in his stomach as he stepped through the main school doors, opposite the assembly hall where the reunion was taking place. Suddenly he knew he shouldn’t have come and if it weren’t for Becker standing right behind him he would be leaving just as quickly as humanly possible.

“It’s okay.” Becker reached out to squeeze Connor’s shoulder. “You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Connor wished that that were true but he forced his feet to take a few tentative steps into the hall. He bypassed the name badge table altogether, not really wanting to remind anyone of who he was. Staring around the school hall it was almost as if he never had left, the same old faces, a little older perhaps and Connor shivered.

“Hey you forgot something.” Becker had collected his name badge for him and Connor reluctantly affixed it to his chest. Becker smiled at him and Connor suddenly felt incredibly guilty for not having told Becker about this bit of his past.

“Look I’ll go get us a couple of drinks,” Becker was aware of how uncomfortable the young man seemed and suddenly he wondered if he should have come, maybe Connor would have been more comfortable if Abby had come with him. “So you can say hello to a few people.”

Connor watched Becker disappear into the crowd and pushed his hands deep into his pockets, taking a step back in the hope that those on their way to join the party would overlook him. He should have known it was too much to hope for.

“Hey queer boy.” 

The hand that came down on his shoulder made him jump and in that moment Connor was a frightened sixteen-year-old again.

“Phil. What are you doing here? I can’t believe you got an invite.” Connor twisted round and away from the hand to face his boyhood tormentor. Despite the fear that clawed at his chest Connor couldn’t help but be a little gratified that Phil and his cronies now had to look up at him rather than the other way around.

“Came to see you didn’t we. Really didn’t think you’d show,” Phil grinned. “You’re still stupid then.” Phil half-turned towards the two men behind him and all three hooted with laughter. “Don’t be shy,” Phil continued, “tell us what’s going on in your life.”

“It’s classified,” Connor said quickly, pulling himself up a little taller and trying to surreptitiously scan the crowd for any signs of Becker.

“Looking for someone?” One of the goons asked, for the life of him Connor couldn’t remember his name.

“You bought a date?” Phil sounded astounded. “Where is he?”

“Hilary,” Connor muttered, praying that Becker would forgive him. “My date’s name is Hilary.”

“A girl? Wonders will never cease.” Phil’s hand was back on his shoulder but this time the grip was too tight for Connor to wriggle away from. “But you know you and I have some unfinished business.”

No! There was no way he was going through that again. Connor’s nostrils were assailed with the scent of the disinfectant that the school cleaners had always been so liberal with and once again he could feel the sensation of a hard wooden floor pressed against his cheek. He’d struggled and kicked out even though he’d known it was useless and Phil had sworn at him, snapped at his two lieutenants to hold Connor still and keep him quiet. A hand pressed down across his mouth and nose, he couldn’t breathe but somehow managed to sink his teeth into the stubby fingers and the larger boy had howled with pain. That had been the point that Mr Howman had come bustling into the gym and all hell had broken loose. Connor kept his head down and the next day Phil et al. were gone.

Phil was pulling him out of the hall and into the corridor his hand tight on Connor’s shoulder. The two other men were behind him, menacing presences that kept him moving. Connor’s mind was blank with fear and he stumbled, necessitating a momentary pause in their progress towards the classroom. It would have to be the same classroom, Phil had no imagination.

“Connor!”

On the periphery of his consciousness Connor could hear someone calling his name.

“What’s going on?” A voice asked.

“Nothing that you want to get involved with.” Phil growled, turning to face the newcomer, turning Connor round with him.

Becker, it was Becker and Connor would have cheered if his throat wasn’t paralysed with terror.

“I think I’ll be the judge of that don’t you?” Becker took a step forward and Phil glowered angrily.

“Becker.” Connor managed to croak the word and Phil glanced sharply at him.

“You two know each other?”

“It’s my job to protect him.” Becker smiled coldly as he spoke and aimed his sidearm at Phil. “So I’d let Connor go if I were you.”

“Maybe later,” Phil muttered as he pushed Connor away.

“Try never,” Becker said. “I ever see you again and I’ll be the last person you see.”

The three men fled but Becker didn’t bother to watch them go, he was far too busy pulling Connor into a quick embrace.

“You okay?”

“You brought a gun to my school reunion?” Connor asked, ignoring Becker’s question.

“It’s not loaded.” Becker protested. “But I knew there was something you weren’t telling me. Want to talk about it?”

“No.” Connor replied curtly. “Maybe later,” he added, not wanting to seem churlish. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Making my life better,” Connor reached out to take Becker’s hand.

“It’s my pleasure,” Becker wrapped an arm around Connor’s shoulders. “Come on let’s get out of here. I think it’s time you put the past firmly behind you.”

The end


End file.
